Vocablulary

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Terms

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Peppered: attack and bombard (as if with missiles)
Ex: The tanks were peppered with missiles.
Crescendo: a gradual increase in loudness (noun)
Ex: The guitarist's crescendo added dynamics to the music.
Jaunty: bouncy, happy
Ex; The cheerful jocky rode his horse with a jaunty air.
Magnitude: level / rank
Ex: The magnitude of the earthquake was so big that the whole roof fell in.
Integral: essential
Ex: Good grammar is an integral part of good writing.
Conceivably: possibly
Ex: The weather could conceivably change.
Tentatively: shyly, hesitantly
Ex: I tentatively agreed to meet him for dinner at eight o'clock.
Deftly: with quickness and skill
Ex: He deftly caught the baseball behind his back.
Torrent: heavy downpour
Ex: The torrent of rain flattened my car.
Transmitting: sending from one object to another
Ex: The Spirit rover is transmitting pictures back to NASA.
Conveyance: moving from one place / transport
Ex: Our body expends a lot of energy in the conveyance of oxygen to all our extremities.
Quizzically: questioningly
Ex: The teacher looked quizzically at the student when he started barking in the middle of class.
Prodded: pushed / poked
Ex: The lion prodded the victim into the deep pit.
Indulgently: with gratification
Ex: He swallowed his meat indulgently.
Reprieve: postponement of punishment
Ex: Because of the rain, the players were given a reprieve.
Relinquish: to let go / surrender
Ex: They were forced to relinquish the land by the army.
Invariably: without change / always
Ex: When you plan a team practice, there are invariably kids who don't show up.
Congregated: gathered
Ex: The congress congregated to discuss current events.
Meticulously: carefully / precisely
Ex: Rodin carved "The Thinker" miculously and proudly.
Retroactive: affecting things past
The student received a retroactive punishment for his behavior in the past year.
Lapse: error / slip
Ex: Excuse me for my lapse in good manners.
Iscribe: to write or etch words on or into a surface (in+ scrib)
Ironic: describing the use of words to express an unintended or contradictory meaning
Sarcastic: the use of witty language used to insult or show displeasure
Abdicate: to give up power.
Ex: King James had to abdicate the throne to marry an American woman.
Abominable: horrible or unpleasant
Ex: The Abominable Snowman is a hateful character in a book.
Accord: to be in agreement
Ex: She resigned from her office of her own accord.
Adept: very skilled
Ex: Nicole is very adept at writing.
Admiring: regarding with approval or respect
Ex: I am an admirer of your writing.
Akin: related to or alike
Ex: Taking the ISEE is akin to having your teeth pulled.
Allege: to declare that something is true without proof
Ex: He alleges that you plagiarized from the Shakespeare.
Aloof: keeping a distance
Ex: When you are shy, you may appear to be aloof.
Ambiguous: unclear
Ex: Bush spoke ambiguously about what he would do to improve the economy.
Noun: ambiguity
Ambivalent: having opposing or mixed feelings (such as love and hate)
Ex: She was ambivalent as to how she felt about the president's policies.
Amiable: friendly, good-natured (able)
Always smiling, she appeared to be an amiable person.
Amorphous: without shape (a + morph + ous)
The amorphous puddle of ink started to sink into the carpet.
Analytical: intending to understand the nature of something
When you perform a science experiment, you mus follow an analytical approach.
Animosity: hostility
Even though I was disappointed in how he had behaved towards me, I held no animosity towards him.
Arid: very dry
Ex: Located in a valley that receives very little rainfall, Santiago has an arid climate.
Assess: to evaluate or determine the worth of
Ex: Mary assessed the damage to her house after the earthquake.
Banal: unoriginal and boring
After you read one "Nancy Drew" book, you'll find the rest will seem predictable and banal.
Benign: Harmless (bene)
Thankfully, the cancer was diagnosed as benign (opposite of malignant)
Biased: favoring one side or opinion over another
Ex: She was biased toward attending Menlo since her brother went there.
Brash: bold
Ex: Mary is not afraid to make brash statements.
Cautious: careful
Ex: Be cautious when you write letters because people will read them over and over.
Condone: to forgive or to disregard an offense
Ex: The police officer condoned the infraction since it was the first time she had ever speeded.
Congenial: agreeable (con + gen)
The girl who chaperoned me around the school was amiable and congenial.
Conventional: traditional, ordinary (con + vent)
Ex: Digital cameras are more convenient than conventional cameras.
Counsel: to advise
Ex: The student was well counseled by the school counselor.
Debilitating: weakening, harmful
Ex: The disease which attacked her respiratory system was debilitating.
Debunk: to prove false
Galileo debunked the conventional wisdom of the day that the earth is flat.
Decree: an order or command
Ex: The king decreed that all peasants must give a percentage of their grains to the army.
Deficient: lacking an essential part
Ex: Her bone weakness was due to a deficiency in Vitamin D.
Deft: skillful
The waiter's deft hands were able to balance all the dishes on the tray.
Delusion: a false opinion or idea
Ex: He has delusions that he is a competent ice skater.
Despair: a feeling of absolute hopelessness or to lose hope
Ex: Her father's death left her with a feeling of absolute despair.
Dormant: temporarily inactive, asleep
Ex: The tulip bulbs lie dormant in the winter, but come to life each spring.
Dread: overwhelming fear, or to be very afraid
Ex: He lived in dread of the day that his friend would learn the truth.
Dubious: doubtful
Ex: Her chances of success in Hollywood were dubious.
Equivalent: equal
Ex: One teaspoon of nutrasweet is equivalent to a tablespoon of conventional sugar.
Eradicate: to erase or get rid of
Ex: The muslim extremist terrorists wanted to eradicate all other religions from the earth.
Exasperate: to make very angry or impatient.
Ex: Eric became exasperated when Jake continued to bump into him repeatedly.
Excavate: to dig up
Ex: The archaelogists excavated dinosaur bones near the existing L.A. Museum of natural history.
Exquisite: beautifully made or designed
Ex: Cici bought an exquisitely carved statue when she was in Europe.
Extol: praise
Ex: The principal extolled the qualities of the school's valedictorian.
Facet: an aspect of something.
He studied every fact of the issue.
Fundamental: the essential part, basic
Ex: Computers have become fundamental to our everyday efficiency.
Gaunt: very thin, bony
Ex: The African children were gaunt from near-starvation.
Hovel: a shack
Ex: Saddam Hussein was found hiding in a hole beneath a hovel.
Illuminate: to light up or make clear (lum)
Ex1: The light from one candle illuminated the room.
Ex2: Her book illuminated the election process for me.
Immaculate: perfectly clean, free from dirt or stain
Ex: It would be great if you could always keep your room this immaculate!
Impediment: an obstacle something in the way
Ex: If you are willing to practice and be perseverent, then you will find no impediments to your success!
Imply: to express indirectly
Ex: Are you trying to imply that I don't care?
Indictment: the situation of having been charged with a crime
Ex: Scott Petersonn was formally indicted for the murder of his wife.
Ingenuity: innovation, creativity (in + gen + ity)_
Ex: In building the Lego robot, you must use some ingenuity.
Innate: possessed at birth, not learned (in + nat)
Ex: She is lucky that she has an innate sense of good taste.
Inquiry: to request for information (in)
Ex: He received several inquiries with respect to how the computer program worked.
Irate: enraged
Ex: An irate customer called to demand that the product be replaced.
Itinerant: nomadic, constantly moving
Ex: He was an itinerant salesman, never remaining in one city for more than a month.
Jeer: to make fun of
Ex: At the Iowa primaries, Howard Dean was jeered and heckled at.
Jest: to joke
Ex: Please don't be insulted, I was just saying that in jest!
Jubilant: overly joyful
Ex: He was jubilant that the application process was finally over!
Kinetic: moving
Ex: In science, you will study kinetic and potential energy.
Laden: weighted down with a heavy load, burdened
Ex: Her shopping bags were ladended with merchadise.
Lament: to express grief for, mourn
Ex: Their pitiful laments could be heard through the thick walls.
Merge: to blend together
Ex: The two rivers merge near the town of Walkerville.
Meticulous: careful, paying attention to details
Ex: I like that you are meticulous in your work habits.
Notorious: known widely and unfavorably
Ex: He was in the clutches of the most notorious of cut-throats
Novice: a beginner
He was a novice at the game, but instinct told him that a good line of action was to shower gifts.
Objective: not influenced by personal opinion, just the facts
Ex: Since she is my sister, I cannot be objective about her competency.
Obscure: hidden or dark, hard to see (ob)
Ex: The stars were obscured by the clouds.
Parch: to make very thirsty
Ex: The dry heat combined with the salty peanuts left me parched.
Parody: a humorous imitation
Ex: The students did a parody of the teachers.
Pedestrian: ordinary, dull
Ex: Please don't take me to a movie with another pedestrian plot!
Placate: to please or make less angry (plac)
Ex: The crying baby was finally placated by a milk bottle.
Plight: a bad situation, a predicament
Ex: The Americans were not completely aware of the plight of the Jews during WWII.
Procure: to obtain
Ex: The VP of Procurement's job is to procure all the supplies necessary to build the plant.
Profane: to abuse or put to ill use
Ex: Do not profane the name of God.
Pungent: a sharp, biting smell or taste
Ex: The feta cheese was too pungent for his taste.
Quiver: a portable container for arrows
Ex: She returned the arrow to its quiver.
Rancid: having a nasty smell or taste, rotting
Ex: Parmesan cheese may smell rancid, but it tastes good on spaghetti!
Ratify: to approve, usually a law
Ex: Even though many people were opposed to it, the governor ratified the new law.
Recalcitrant: disobedient, stubborn
Ex: In general, you are flexible, but sometimes you act like a recalcitrant teenager.
Recreation: Something done for fun, a hobby or game
Ex: In between your work, you should insert some recreation.
Refrain: to hold back, abstain or restrain
Ex: Don't refrain from singing just because I'm here.
Reminiscence: a memory, the act of recalling the past
Ex: She often reninisces about the past and often embellishes it.
Remote: far away, distant
Ex: Vichuquen is located in a remote corner of Chile.
Repugnant: highly disgusting/offensive
Ex: I find his lack of table manners absolutely repugnant.
Revile: to criticize with abusive language
Ex: The kids reviled and taunted him whenever he entered the cafeteria.
Syn: Vilified, vituperated
Robust: healthy
Ex: The teenagers were robust enough to survive two nights in the cold wilderness.
Rue: to regret
Ex: He rued the day that he had met her.
Sage: wise
Ex. A sage old man gave him advice on how to live his life.
Skeptical: doubtful
Ex: I was skepticul of her story about how she had battled a sea monster,
Skit: a short comic scene
Ex: Do you remember the skit we performed together at Jones Gulch?
Somber: overly serious dark or gloomy
Ex: The death of their teammate cast a somber mood for the rest of the basketball season.
Subjective: Influenced by personal opinion, biased
Ex: There is no right or wrong answer since it is completely subjective (depends on the person's individual opinon).
Sustain: to support
Ex: She needs lots of food and water in order to sustain enough energy to run 7 miles.
Temperament: your usual mood or behavior
Ex: I usually have an easy temperament, although sometimes I can be moody.
Tenacious: holding firmly, especially to a belief, stubborn
Ex: She is generally tenacious and doesn't give up easily.
Toil: hard work,or to work hard
Ex: He was sentenced to seven years of hard toil.
Uniform: all the same, common
Ex: The show's producer wanted everyone in the dance to be of uniform height.
Vend: to sell
Ex: She looked for vended in water in the soda machine but couldn't find any.
Vigor: strength, energy
Ex: The power bar gave him renewed vigor.
Wane: to decrease in size or strength
Ex. It took several hours for the might of the storm to wane and dissipate.
Warlock: a male witch
Ex: Do you believe in witches and warlocks?
abyss: a deep narrow pit
Ex: He fell into a dark abyss at the top of the mountain and was never seen again.
barrage: a flood
Ex: The school principal received a barrage of phone calls from concerned parents.
brig: the prison of a ship
Ex: Charlotte was sent down to the brig.
flag: to decrease or diminish
Ex: Her excitement for gymnastics flagged when she realized it involved hours of hard work.
insolent: disrespectful, rude
Ex. YOu know that I will not tolerate your insolent behavior.
Scorn: to abuse or treat with no respect, or a strong feeling of dislike
Ex: The math teacher was abusive and treated his students with scorn.
Authentic: Genuine and true, not fake
Ex: The gem expert confirmed that the diamond was authentic.
Era: a period of time (usually in the past)
Ex: In the era of great grandfather, women were not allowed to vote.
Extinct: no longer existing
Ex: That way of thinking is extinct.
Hackneyed: over-used and old-fashioned
Ex: "Once upon a time" is a hackneyed way to start a story.
Hoary: very old, or gray from old age
Ex: The cover of "The Giver" shows the imagee of a hoary bearded man.
Obsolete: out of date, no longer useful
Ex: The advent of the computer wordprocessor made the typewrite obsolete.
Posterity: all of a person's decendents (post + ity)
Ex: We must fight for freedom for all of our decendants.
Premise: an essential fact that others are based on.
Ex: Our democracy is premised on the assumption that everyone is educated enought to know what to vote for.
Retrospect: the review of past events; hindsight (spec)
Ex: In retrospect, I wish that I had chosen to major in biology instead of economics.
Absolved: freed from guilt or blame
Ex: He was absolved of the crime when they found there was not enough evidence to condemn him.
Concede: to give in or surrender
Ex. Even though you didn't want the cheesecloth to be stretched out, you finally conceded.
Contrition: deep regret for doing something wrong
Ex: The actress looked contrite after she shoplifted the shoes from the store.
Implore: to beg or ask earnestly
Ex: I implore you to help me out of this terrible situation.
Indignant: feeling angry or insulted from an injustice or wrongdoing
Ex. She was indignant that she hadn't been given a part in the show.
Obdurate: stubborn (ob)
Ex: She remained obdurate and would not change her position on the matter.
Obstinate: stubborn (ob)
Ex: She was obstinate and would not give in.
Pardoned: forgiven
Ex: The criminal was pardoned by the President and did not have to go to prison as he should have.
Penitent: feeling or expressing remorse for a wrongdoing
Ex: The ex-convict was penitent for the hurt that he had caused his victims.
Revere: do deeply respect or admire
Ex: Martin L. King was revered by all Americans.
Abridge: to shorten in length or duration
Ex: You read an abridged version of "Little Women"
Academic: having to do with school or education
Ex: Do you prefer academic or athletic activities?
Adage: an old saying usually considered to be true
Ex: "Don't judge a book by its cover" is an old adage.
Assert: to state a viewpoint
Ex: It's important to stand up and assert yourself!
Cumulative: increasing through successive addition
Ex: The benefits of studying are cumulative: the more you study, the more you will learn!
Genre: a specific style of art or literature
Ex: What genre of literature do you prefer?
Oration: a formal speech
Ex: Abraham Lincoln was famous for his long orations.
Preamble: an introduction to a formal document
Ex: The preamble to the constitution is just as important as the document itself.
Ail: to suffer from sickness
Ex: Her old aunt was ailing.
Confound: to puzzle or confuse
Ex: These questions confound even the experts.
Deteriorate: to get worse
Ex: The patients condition deteriorated (got worse).
Dilute: to weaken, especially by adding water to a solution
Ex: The vitamin C cocktail was too strong, so Nicole diluted it with water.
Distort: to bend or twist something out of its normal shape
Ex: The teather ball pole became distorted by the kids' constantly climbing it.
Quibble: to complain about little things
Ex: Sisters and brothers often quibble about unimportant issues.
Rift: a narrow break
Ex: The sun shone through a rift in the clouds
Squalid: appearing dirty and wretched
Ex: She lived in the squalid surroundings of the back alleys of San Francisco.
Exile: to banish someone from their native country
Ex: Many Chileans wanted to send Pinochet into exile.
Fluctuate: to shift back and forth without regularity
Ex: The temperatures here fluctuate between 50 and 70 degrees.
Recede: to move away or become smaller
Ex: The army felt releif as the enemy receded.
Ramble: to move or speak without direction
Ex: She has a habit of rambling on and on without saying much.
Dingy: dirty, dull, shabby
He lives in a shabby hovel by the creek.
Elongate: to lengthen
Ex: The vase has an elongated shape.
Emulate: to copy of imitate
Ex: Haley often emulates Camila's choice of books.
Hue: the color or shade of an object
Ex: The hue of blue of that tablecloth is gorgeous.
Livid: discolored, bruised or very angry
Ex: She was livid with anger when she found out that I had told on her.

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Deck Info

Number of cards 175